Harness cord selecting and driving device for jacquard machines

ABSTRACT

A device for selectively lifting the harness cords in a Jacquard machine is disclosed which enables the Jacquard machine to be compact in size and simple both in construction and operation, eliminating the use of the prior art pattern cards. A needle selection mechanism including a plurality of solenoids equal in number to the needles is so disposed that the solenoids may be located in opposition to one end of the needles. A cylinder coupled to a prime mover of a power loom and driven in synchronously with the weaving operation is disposed so as to push simultaneously the other end of the needles toward the solenoids until contact is made. The solenoids are selectively energized by a control unit which in turn is controlled in response to the pattern information read out from perforated or magnetic tapes. As a result, the needles - except those attracted and held by the energized solenoids - are returned to their initial positions when the cylinder is returned to its own initial position. The hooks associated with the returned needles are engaged with the knives again so that they may be lifted as a knife box is lifted. Thus the desired harness cords and hence the warp yarns are lifted to form a desired shed.

United States Patent [191 Katsumata 5] Nov. 11, 1975 HARNESS CORD SELECTING AND Primary Exuminer.lames Kee Chi DRIVING DEVICE FOR JACQUARD Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Saul Jecies MACHINES [75] Inventor: Masayoshi Katsumata, Tokyo, [57] TR Japan A device for select vely hfting the harness cords in a Jacquard machine 1s disclosed which enables the J ac- Asslgneei y gy kabllshikikaisha quard machine to be compact in size and simple both Tokyo, Japan in construction and operation, eliminating the use of [22] Filed: M 18, 1974 the prior art pattern cards.

A"needle selection mechanism including a lurality of [21] Appl' 452334 solenoids equal in number to the neesles is so disposed that the solenoids may be located in [52] US. Cl. 139/59; 139/319 opposition to one end of the needles. A cylinder [51] Int. Cl. D03C 3/16; DO3C 3/20; coupled to a prime mover of a power loom and driven D03C 17/06 in synchronously with the weaving operation is [58] Field of Search 139/5965, disposed so as to push simultaneously the other end of 139/317, 319, 331, 68, 55; 66/154 A the needles toward the solenoids until contact is made. The solenoids are selectively energized by a control [56] References Cited unit which in turn is controlled in response to the UNITED STATES PATENTS pattern information read out from perforated or I magnetic ta es. As a result, the needles exce t 139/319 those attract zzd and held by the energized solenoids oehr... 139/59 3,472287 10/1969 Ribler u [39/319 are returned to their inltial POSlJtlOl'lS when the cylinder 3.529.635 9/1970 Hurak 13 9/59 is returned tO its own initial Position The hooks 3.828.826 8/1974 Hurzeler et a]. 139/59 associated with the returned needles are engaged with the knives again so that they may be lifted as a knife FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS box is lifted. Thus the desired harness cords and hence 471,789 7/1914 France l39/3l9 the p yarns are lifted to form a desired Shed. 183,266 4/1907 Germany 11 68 6 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures 4/1896 United Kingdom 139/319 US. Patent Nov. 11,1975 SheetlofZ 3,918,500

FIG.|

U1S.,Pat@n1 Nov. 11, 1975 Sheet2of2 3,918,500

HARNESS CORD SELECTING AND DRIVING DEVICE FOR JACQUARD MACHINES BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a harness cord selecting and driving device for a Jacquard machine which causes the warp yarns to be lifted in proper sequence to form a desired shed, thereby interlacing the warp yarns with the inserting or weft yarns for producing the desired fabric patterns or constructions.

In conventional Jacquard machines, a chain of pattern cards perforated for various fabric patterns or con structions is used. The pattern cards are connected to each other in the form of an endless belt so as to repre sent a complete fabric pattern or construction The pattern cards are fed one by one synchronously with each weaving operation of the loom in such a manner that the pattern card is pressed against the needles via a mechanical linkage. Therefore, all needles except those fitting into the perforations are selectively pushed so that their associated hooks may have their hook portions disengaged from their associated knives in a knife box. Therefore, only the hooks which remain in engagement with the knives are lifted so that the associated harness cords and hence the desired warp yarns may be lifted to form a desired shed. However, Jacquard machines of the type described have some serious defects. First, the preparation of the pattern cards representing the desired fabric patterns or constructions is time-consuming and expensive, requiring special techniques. Furthermore, the attachment and removal of the pattern cards are also time-consuming. Moreover, a large space is required, not only for their attachment but also for their storage and transportation.

Furthermore, fabrics with more complex and more ornamental patterns have recently been designed, but the so-called fashion cycle is short so that estimates of demand for fabrics with a special pattern is very difficult. Therefore it is imperative to produce a sample by test weaving as soon as possible. That is, small lots of numerous fabrics with various patterns must be produced as soon as possible in response to market de mands. Thus improvements of the harness cord selec tion mechanisms of Jacquard machines have long been needed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In view of the above, one of the objects of the present invention is to provide a harness cord selecting and driving mechanism for a Jacquard machine which incorporates a novel control mechanism so that not only the defects and problems encountered up to now in Jacquard machines may be eliminated but also the demand for improvements may be satisfied.

Briefly stated, in the present invention a needle selection mechanism including a plurality of solenoids equal in number to the needles is disposed in such a way that the solenoids may be in opposed relation with one end of the needles. A cylinder is disposed in such a way that it may push simultaneously the other end of the needles synchronously with the weaving operation toward the solenoids of the needle selection mechanism which are selectively energized in response to the output signals from a control unit according to the desired fabric pattern or construction. As a result of the energization of the selected solenoids, all the needles except those attracted and held by the energized solenoids are returned to their initial positions when the cylinder is returned to its own initial position. The hooks associated with the needles attracted and held by the energized solenoids are disengaged from their associated knives in a knife box so that only those hooks associated with the needles which have been returned to their normal positions remain in engagement with the knives and are lifted when the knife box is lifted. Thus only the desired harness cords are lifted so that the desired warp yarns are lifted to form a desired shed for producing a desired pattern.

In order to selectively energize the solenoids, the control unit generates the control signals in response to the pattern information read out from perforated or magnetic tapes. Therefore, the pattern cards used in former Jacquard machines may be completely elimi nated.

The cylinder drive is coupled to the prime mover of the power loom. The solenoids are so arranged as to attract and hold the needles after contact. Therefore solenoids with small power may be advantageously used. That is, 800 to 2,000 needles are used in the conventional Jacquard machines, and their spacing is of the order of 4 to 5 milimeters. But when solenoids with small power, that is, solenoids of compact size, are used, there may be easily established a one-to-one correspondence between the solenoids and the needles, respectively. Thus, the present invention makes possible a Jacquard machine compact in size and simple in both construction and operation. Furthermore, the weaving preparation and operation may be much facilitated.

The above and other objects, advantages, and features of the present invention will become more apparent from the following description of two preferred embodiments thereof taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a Jacquard machine incorporating a harness cord selecting and driving device in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary view, partly in section, of a first embodiment of a harness cord selecting and driving device of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary view, partly in section, of a second embodiment of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS First Embodiment, FIGS. 1 and 2 Referring to FIG. 1, warp yarns 10 are operatively coupled in a conventional manner to harness cords 15 extending from hooks 11 through a bottom plate 112, a lattice plate 13 and a comber board I4. Each of spring members 16 formed integral with the hooks 111 is engaged with the back side of an adjacent knife 18 in a knife box 17 in such a way that a hook portion 119 at the upper end of the hook 11 may normaally engage with the corresponding normally associated knife 18. The knife box 17 is driven by the prime mover (not shown) of a power loom so as to perform a vertical motion at a predetermined time and in synchronism with the weaving operation of the loom, as will be described in more detail hereinafter.

A plurality of needles 21 equal in number to the hooks 11, are horizontally extended at right angles to the hooks 11 slidable through a pair of spaced apart needle frames 20, and have hook portions 22 adapted to engage with the corresponding or associated hooks 1 1. This is so that when the needle 21 moves to the left in FIG. 1, the corresponding hook I 1 may be caused to move transversely against its spring 16, thereby moving the hook portion 19 at the upper end of the hook 11 away from the knife 18 into a position in which the hook portion 19 will not engage with the knife 18 when the knife box 17 is moved upwardly.

A cylinder 23 disposed at the right ends of the needles 21 is also driven by the prime mover (not shown) of the power loom through a suitable linkage (not shown) in such a way that it may act simultaneously with the harness cord selection mechanism and the shedding operation of the loom in order to engage the knives 18 only with the desired or selected hook portions 19 thereby forming a desired shed according to the desired fabric construction. In conventional Jacquard machines, the selection mechanism uses an endless belt consisting of a plurality of pattern cards. The endless belt is wrapped around a cylinder so that the pattern cards may be fed one by one and pressed against the needles so that their movements may be controlled depending upon whether or not the punched holes are formed in the pattern card in the corresponding positions. Thus, the hook portions of the desired hooks are selectively engaged with the corresponding knives. However, with the present invention, the use of such pattern cards may be eliminated. That is, cylinder 23 is so arranged as to make only the transverse reciprocal motion, and to make contact through a blind plate 24 with the right ends of the needles 21. On the left side of the left needle frame 20 is disposed a needle selection mechanism generally indicated by 25. In response to the reciprocal motion of the cylinder 23, all of the needles 21 are caused to move to the left, and then only the desired needles 21 are attracted and held by the selection mechanism 26 while the remaining needles 21 are returned to their initial position under the force of their spring members 16 as cylinder 23 returns to its initial position, as will be described in more detail hereinafter. As a result, the hook portions 19 of the desired hooks 11 are engaged'with the knives 18 again. The above arrangement is one of the most important and remarkable features of the present invention over former devices or mechanisms.

Next referring to FIG. 2, the first embodiment of the selection mechanism 25 of the present invention will be described in more detail hereinafter. A mount 28 is attached with a bolt 27 to a frame 26 in such a way that the position of the mount 28 may be adjusted with respect to the frame 26. A plurality of solenoids 29 equal in number to the needles 21 are attached to the mount 28 in both opposed and spaced apart relation with the left ends of the needles. Since the solenoids 29 are all similar in construction and attachment, it will sufiice to describe only one of them. A shaft 30 extending from the rear or left end of the solenoid 29 is slidably fitted into a hole formed through the mount 28 and has a nut 32 fitted at the free end thereof. This nut 32 serves as a stop. A spring 31 is fitted over the shaft 30 between the solenoid 29 and the mount 28 so that the solenoid 29 may be normally biased toward the needle 21, that is towards a cap 33 made of a magnetic material and fitted over the left end of the needle 21.

The selection mechanism 25 is operatively coupled to a control unit 34 which in turn is operatively coupled to a reader 35 (see FIG. 1) which is adapted to directly read the patterns stored on magnetic or punched tapes. Therefore, in response to the output signals from the control unit 34, the desired solenoids 29 in the selection mechanism 25 are energized so that the desired needles 21 are attracted and held.

Next the mode of the operation of the Jacquard machine incorporating the harness cord selection mechanism 25 with the above construction will be described. As explained before, the cylinder 23 is driven through mechanical linkage which connects it to the prime mover of the power loom so that it may reciprocate in the transverse direction. When cylinder 23 moves to the left in the figures,'it pushes through via the blind plate 24 the needles 21 in the left direction so that the caps 33 may move into contact with the solenoids 29. In this case, the overlap of the cap 33, that is the impact of the respective cap 33 exerted upon the associated solenoid 29 is absorbed by the compression of the coiled spring 31 loaded between the solenoid 29 and the mount 28. Damage to the solenoid may therefore be prevented. When the needles 21 move toward the left, their hook portions 22 engage with the hooks 11 to cause the hook portions 19 at the upper ends of the hooks 11 to move away from the knives 18 into a position where they will not engage with each other as the knife box 17 is moved upwardly. The desired solenoids 29 are energized in response to the output signals from the control unit 34 so that the caps 33 of the corresponding needles 21 are attracted and held by the solenoids 29.

When cylinder 23 returns to its initial position, the needles 21, except those attracted and held by the energized solenoids 29, are returned to their initial positions under the forces of the spring members 16 of the hooks 11. Therefore, only the hooks 1 1 coupled to the needles 21 that are attracted and held by the energized solenoids 29 remain in the inoperative position, while the hook portions 19 at the upper ends of the hooks coupled to those needles 21 which have returned to their initial positions engage again with the corresponding knives 18 in the knife box 17. When the knife box 17 is caused to move upwardly immediately after the cylinder 23 has been returned to its initial position, the knives 18 engage with the hook portions 19 of the hooks 11 coupled to those needles 21 which have returned to their initial positions and lift them, but the hooks 11 coupled to the needles 21 attracted and held by the energized solenoids 29 remain in the inoperative positions. As a result, only the hooks 1 1 which have returned to their initial positions are moved upwardly so that the harness cords 15 connected to these raised hooks 11 lift the corresponding warp yarns 10. Thus, a desired shed may be formed in response to the output signals of the control unit 34.

Thereafter, a shuttle is shot in to insert a weft yarn,

and battening is accomplished. Thereafter the knife box 17 is moved downwardly. During the above steps, control unit 34 is reset so that the attracted needles 21 are released from the solenoids 29. As a result, the associated hooks 11 are returned to their initial positions under the forces of the spring members 16 when the knife box 17 is returned to its initial position. Thus, one

shedding operation is accomplished. Similar shedding operations are repeated so that the desired sheds may be formed in a predetermined sequence by the selective energization of the solenoids 29 in response to the control signals from the control unit 34 which in turn are generated depending upon the desired fabric constructions. Thus, a fabric with a desired fabric construction or pattern may be produced.

Second Embodiment, FIG. 3

In the second embodiment shown in FIG. 3, the cap 33 fitted at the free end of the needle 21 may be eliminated. That is, instead of the cap 33, a hook 133 is formed at the free end of the needle 121 for engagement with a rod or plunger 136 adapted to be extended out of a solenoid 129 only when the latter is energized. As shown in FIG. 3, the solenoid 129 is disposed upon a mount 128 at a right angle relative to its associated needle 121. In operation, the desired solenoids 129 of the selection mechanism 125 are so energized in response to the signal from the control unit 34 that the respective rod or plunger 136 may extend out of the solenoid 129 to engage with the hook portion 133 of the needle 121 displaced to the left in a manner substantially similar to that described with reference to the first embodiment.

As described above, according to the present invention, the needles are directly and selectively driven depending upon the fabric constructions or patterns. Therefore, the device of the present invention is considerably simpler in construction and compact in size as compared with former devices or mechanisms. Furthermore, test weaving may be accomplished within a very short time. Moreover, the devices of the present invention may be easily incorporated into existing Jacquard machines. Thus the present invention may not only overcome the problems and defects of former devices or mechanisms but also satisfy demands for the improvements of Jacquard machines.

What is claimed is:

1. A harness cord selecting and driving device for Jacquard machine, comprising a knife box movable in an upright first path;

a group of hooks coupled through harness cords to warp yarns in a power loom, said hooks being normally in a position in which they are adapted to be engaged and lifted by said knife box when the same moves in said upright first path;

a group of needles movable in a second path transverse to said upright first path from a first location to a second location and adapted during such movement to push said hooks out of said position;

biasing means permanently biasing said needles towards said first location;

retractable cylinder means for moving all needles of said group in unison in said second path from said first to said second location during each weaving step of said power loom;

a needle selection mechanism, including a plurality of solenoids equal in number to said needles and each positioned adjacent said second location; and

a control unit adapted to energize selected ones of said solenoids in response to pattern signals of the fabric to be woven, so that the needles associated with the energized solenoids are retained by the same in said second location when said cylinder means is retracted whereas the needles associated with the non-energized solenoids return to said first location under the influence of said biasing means so that their hooks can be engaged and lifted dur- 'ing subsequent movement of said knife box in said upright first path.

2. A device as defined in claim 1, wherein said needles each have one end engageable by said cylinder means, and an other end; and wherein said solenoids are each mounted in opposed relation to one of said other ends.

3. A device as defined in claim 2, wherein each of said other ends is formed with a hook portion engageable with one of said solenoids upon energization thereof.

4. A device as defined in claim 2, wherein each of said other ends is provided with a cap of magnetically attractable material.

5. A device as defined in claim 1, wherein said cylinder means and said knife box are coupled to a prime mover of said power loom so as to be driven synchronously with the weaving steps of said power loom.

6. A device as defined in claim 1; and further comprising resilient mounting means resiliently mounting said solenoids to prevent damage to the same from engagement with said needles. 

1. A harness cord selecting and driving device for a Jacquard machine, comprising a knife box movable in an upright first path; a group of hooks coupled through harness cords to warp yarns in a power loom, said hooks being normally in a position in which they are adapted to be engaged and lifted by said knife box when the same moves in said upright first path; a group of needles movable in a second path transverse to said upright first path from a first location to a second location and adapted during such movement to push said hooks out of said position; biasing means permanently biasing said needles towards said first location; retractable cylinder means for moving all needles of said group in unison in said second path from said first to said second location during each weaving step of said power loom; a needle selection mechanism, including a plurality of solenoids equal in number to said needles and each positioned adjacent said second location; and a control unit adapted to energize selected ones of said solenoids in response to pattern signals of the fabric to be woven, so that the needles associated with the energized solenoids are retained by the same in said second location when said cylinder means is retracted whereas the needles associated with the non-energized solenoids return to said first location under the influence of said biasing means so that their hooks can be engaged and lifted during subsequent movement of said knife box in said upright first path.
 2. A device as defined in claim 1, wherein said needles each have one end engageable by said cylinder means, and an other end; and wherein said solenoids are each mounted in opposed relation to one of said other ends.
 3. A device as defined in claim 2, wherein each of said other ends is formed with a hook portion engageable with one of said solenoids upon energization thereof.
 4. A device as defined in claim 2, wherein each of said other ends is provided with a cap of magnetically attractable material.
 5. A device as defined in claim 1, wherein said cylinder means and said knife box are coupled to a prime mover of said power loom so as to be driven synchronously with the weaving steps of said power loom.
 6. A device as defined in claim 1; and further comprising resilient mounting means resiliently mounting said solenoids to prevent damage to the same from engagement with said needles. 